Toronto FC Slapped with Fines in MLS Opener Chaos

Major League Soccer's crackdown on misconduct against officials has bitten Toronto FC in their season opener against FC Cincinnati.

In a highly anticipated showdown marking the start of the 2024 MLS season, FC Cincinnati faced off against Toronto FC in a match that ended in a goalless draw.

However, the excitement of the game was marred by an announcement from MLS on Wednesday, revealing that Toronto FC had violated the league's mass confrontation policy during the match.

The league pointed to an incident in the 56th minute, where players such as Lorenzo Insigne, Federico Bernardeschi, and Richie Laryea approached the referee to protest a foul on Kevin Long. Long had been caught by an opponent's follow-through as he cleared the ball into touch, prompting the players to engage in what MLS deemed a "mass confrontation," prohibited under league rules.

As a consequence, Laryea, Bernardeschi, and Insigne have each been fined an undisclosed amount for their roles in inciting or escalating the confrontation. However, other players, including Shane O'Neill and Deybi Flores, who were also present during the incident but not directly involved, have escaped punishment. Additionally, head coach John Herdman and the club as an entity have received an official warning.

The timing of the disciplinary action comes amidst a labor dispute involving MLS referees. With the league currently employing replacement referees from various levels of soccer, including professional, college, and youth, negotiations between the Professional Soccer Referees (PSRA) union and the Professional Referees Organization (PRO) are ongoing.

Toronto FC's penalty serves as a reminder of MLS's commitment to upholding standards of conduct on the field, while also highlighting the challenges posed by ongoing labor disputes within the league.